The Broken Watch
by TWDlover92
Summary: The story begins with Daryl learning about Carol's exile. He wants to go after her but he will realize soon enough that it will not turn out as planned. A story that represents how I would like the mid-season finale and the aftermath to go.
1. The confrontation

_**The confrontation**_

"What about Carol? She up in A-block with Lizzie?" Daryl asked, lifting his hand to his forehead and squinting his eyes to see Hershel's face between the sun rays.

"No. Talk to Rick about it. She's okay. Just talk to him." Hershel responded, trying to maintain his composure.

Daryl quickly looked around and found Rick talking with Carl in the garden. He walked towards them in a heartbeat, forgetting everything he had to carry back to the prison. He knew something was wrong. He felt it deep inside. Somehow, he knew it all along while they were on the road. He had a feeling something bad was about to happen.

As he made his way through the prison yard, he had a thousand scenarios playing in his head and none of them met a good ending for either Carol or him. He found it hard to believe that she was not here anymore. What happened to her? If she was dead, Hershel would have told him right away. There was no way he could have kept that to himself. But if she wasn't dead, where could she be?

Daryl approached Rick and nodded to him as a way to make his presence noticed. Rick nodded back, patted Carl's shoulder and asked him to go inside. Carl didn't argue and left. Rick then got out of the garden and stopped right in front of Daryl, harboring an anxious look on his traits.

"Hershel told me to ask you about Carol. What happened?" Daryl asked straight away, his eyes trying helplessly to read Rick's mind.

Rick scratched the back of his head, looked at the ground and sighed deeply. He clearly didn't know where to begin.

"Rick. What happened with Carol?" Daryl urged, slowly losing his patience.

"She killed Karen and David." Rick finally answered. "She killed them to try to prevent the flu from spreading but it didn't work."

Daryl grimaced and breathed heavily, looking torn apart inside.

"I left her on the road, told her she couldn't come back to the prison. She can't be trusted anymore and Tyreese would have tried to kill her anyway. She represents a threat to the group by acting so recklessly. I can't let my children be around her knowing what she has done. "

"You just left her out there like that? For Christ's sake, Rick! She's gonna die! You condemned her to die!"

"I did it for the group, Daryl. If I brought her back, who knows what would have happened? She is tough, she's gonna make it. She'll find another group and start again."

"She's family and we don't give up on family. Carol has been there from the start. She always took care of lil'asskicker, Carl, and the whole group. We could have found another way."

"She murdered two of our own! What did you want me to do? Let her come back and tell Tyreese that it was simply an accident? She is better out there than in here, trust me."

"No, she isn't! No one can make it alone in this shitty world. You know it as much as I do. We needed her and she needed us. You abandoned her!"

Daryl looked really distraught and he kept adjusting the crossbow's strap on his shoulder.

"I'll go find her. Ain't no way I'll let her die out there. I almost lost her once, ain't gonna let this happen again."

Rick put a firm hand on his arm to try to stabilize him.

"I suggest you don't. We need you here. She could be anywhere right now and I won't let you risk your life chasing ghosts."

"The hell you're telling me? You really want me to just let it go?" Daryl snapped, throwing Rick's hand away from him.

"You will, Daryl. We all will."

"Ain't your call to make. You won't tell me what to do. You made a fuckin' big mistake and I'm gonna fix it."

"Daryl…"

"You messed up. You should have asked the council before doing anythin'. Don't you see it isn't just 'bout you in here? I cared about her!"

"You wanted me to be the leader again. I made the decision I thought was best for us all. It needed to be done. There was no other way. "

"Bullshit. There's always another way. I'm goin' out there and I'm gonna bring her back. We'll deal with this as a group."

"Daryl, it's not…"

"And when were you gonna tell me, huh? I came home last night! Hershel knew 'bout it before me! Who else knew?"

"Maggie…She noticed Carol wasn't in the car with me so she asked. I told her the truth and she agreed with my call."

"Ya, of course she did. She doesn't know shit about Carol. I know her better than anybody else in this damn place! If you think she's a threat, it's 'cause you want her to be one, Rick. I don't agree with what she did but she's no damn psychopath."

"I can't let her come back. You can go out there if you want to but she won't make it past the gate as long as I'm here, are we clear?"

Daryl breathed heavily and stepped closer to Rick. For a quick second, it felt like two different leaders who always got along finally clashing together over a very complex issue. Daryl didn't like this Rick. He didn't like how he made this decision by himself. He didn't like to think of Carol being out there on her own. Yes, he was disappointed by what she did but they could discuss it some other time.

For now, all that really mattered was her safety. He couldn't afford to lose her. Not this time. Not again. He needed her more than he would be willing to admit openly. She was the one person to understand him better than anybody could. She was always there for him. They shared a unique bond that was impossible to duplicate. He did enjoy Michonne's company on the road but it was totally on a different level and not even close to how he felt about Carol.

His loyalty for Carol had been set in stone ever since their search for Sophia. And he knew, that night he saved her at the farm, that he would always be there for her no matter what. He knew it as he felt her tiny arms wrapped around his body as they rode off from the imminent danger on Merle's bike. He knew that this woman deserved better and that he was the only one who could possibly give her some sense of security. It wasn't much but it was all he had to offer. He could be her protector. The one who would make sure she is never hurt. The one who would make sure she sleeps well at night.

But as Daryl stared into Rick's icy blue eyes, he knew that it wasn't going to be easy from now on. She had been banished for good. Rick had planned it and he certainly wasn't going back on his decision. Daryl didn't know where to go from there. He wanted her safe but bringing her back at the prison would be pure suicide. _Damn it, Carol. Why didn't you tell me 'fore? _he suddenly thought, trying his best to keep calm.

He did feel a little disappointment knowing Carol had kept this secret from him. After all, they had always been close and he knew that Carol was worried about the little girls. But why hide it from him? Did she fear his reaction? Did she think he would be opposed to it? Yeah, probably. Daryl shifted and slowly headed back to his truck. He was going anyway, even if it meant dealing with crap later.

"Daryl." Rick called out, trying to reach for him one last time.

"Ain't nothin' you can say from now on. I'm off on the road."

"I just wanted to give you this."

Daryl stopped, looked over his shoulder and noticed the broken watch Rick was holding in his right hand.

"What's that?"

"Carol's watch." Rick responded, feeling a bit unsettled.

And then, he recognized it. The watch she always had on her all the time. He had seen her looking at it so many times before. She would often take it out of her pocket and stare at it with a weird expression on her face. He couldn't really tell what it was but she seemed so lost in her thoughts, as she was revisiting some unwelcomed memories. This watch had a particular meaning to her but he never asked. Never dared to. The few times he caught her looking at it, she would immediately put it away and smile at him, as if nothing ever happened. He never bothered going any further than that on the subject.

"She gave it to me when she said goodbye." Rick continued.

Daryl tried to imagine the scene and he grimaced. He couldn't understand why she would give Rick anything at all after what he had done.

"Why did she give it to ya?" Daryl asked.

"I think…I think it was to remind me that she indeed changed and that she's no longer the meek woman from the quarry. She said Ed gave it to her on their first anniversary, or somethin' like that. She kept it all this time but never understood why she didn't throw it away. I guess she just couldn't let go from her past until now."

Daryl nodded slightly, finally understanding why she kept staring at it like she did. She had been staring at her own path. Contemplating all the horrible things that ever happened to her and probably acknowledging that she was changing. Growing stronger. Detached. Free from everything.

"I figured…you might want it. " Rick proposed. "I'm not confident you'll find what you are looking for out there but you can still have a small piece of her with you. For all it's worth…"

Daryl hesitated, not knowing if he should knock the hell out of Rick or just let go and take the watch. If Rick was right and that there was no chance to ever see her again, he might as well just take the watch. It was not much and it probably meant the worst things to Carol but it's all he had left. And he stared at it for a quick second, trying not to break down in front of Rick. The watch wasn't working at all. The battery probably died a long time ago. But he knew that she wasn't keeping it to be reminded of the present time. In fact, she kept it to look in the past, where the hours, the minutes and the seconds didn't matter at all.

"I'm sorry, Daryl."

Daryl finally put the watch in his pocket and whispered:

"Yeah, me too…"

* * *

"You're taking off? Where do you think you're going like that?" Michonne asked, as she noticed Daryl putting his stuff back in the truck.

"Goin' to look for Carol. She is out there on her own. She needs me." he answered mechanically, making sure he packed everything he needed.

Michonne scowled at him, not really understanding what was going on.

"How did that happen? She and Rick…"

"She killed Karen and David to protect us. He banished her for her crime and he doesn't want her back at the prison. But I'll try to find a way to solve this once and for all."

Michonne took a long pause, trying to ponder everything that was going on in her mind. She didn't know Carol very well but she could tell she wasn't a threat to this group. She had always been so caring and protective of her family. Michonne knew that Carol had done something unforgivable but she could understand the logic behind it. She tried to prevent things from getting worse and it was not made out of malice.

"Maybe I can talk to Rick about it, make him reconsider his decision."

"Nah, he will stick to it no matter what. He is tryin' to be a leader again and I doubt he'll ever admit he made the wrong call on this."

"He should have told the council."

"Hell, that's what I've been tellin' him. If I had known this council wasn't worth shit when it came down to making important calls, I wouldn't even had bothered to join in."

"Glenn and Sasha are still recovering though. I doubt they would have been able to think this through clearly. It would have been down to you and Hershel to decide her fate. Is Hershel on your side?"

"Don't know. Doesn't matter anyway. I'll take care of this."

"But you can't go out there alone. I'll go with you."

"Ain't the right way to do this. They need you here. Carl looks up to you."

"We barely made it out alive of this run. You really think you stand a chance on your own? Don't be stupid."

"Tyreese will know somethin' is up if we leave again. He'll want to join and help. It's better if you tell the others I went off in the woods for a little hunting trip."

Michonne sighed and finally shrugged.

"Alright, you stubborn idiot. But before leaving, you should give a word to Lizzie. I noticed she was really close to Carol. I think she needs a good talk. She might wonder where Carol is by now."

Daryl nodded, closed the car door and headed back to the prison.

* * *

Daryl walked in A-block and noticed the big mess the flu left around the prison. Hershel was cleaning the blood stains on the floor while Maggie offered Glenn some more tea. Daryl was happy to see that his pal made it through and he gave him a half-smile as he passed by. Glenn offered a weak smile in return and Maggie looked up to Daryl with a concerned look on her face. She knew that he knew about Carol. Daryl didn't pay attention to her as he didn't really care about what she thought about it and went upstairs to Lizzie's cell.

Lizzie was sitting on her mattress, trying to read Tom Sawyer for the third time since the sun had risen. She clearly couldn't concentrate though and she kept playing with her knife instead.

"Hey, sweetheart. Where's your sister?" Daryl hushed to her from the cell door.

Lizzie looked up and smiled, happy to see that Daryl made it out alive.

"She is with Beth and Judith in block D. I can't get too close to them so that's why I have to stay here…"

"Yeah…you need to recover. We brought you everythin' you need to be healthy again. Can I talk to ya for a second?"

Lizzie put the book away and gave him her full attention.

"Yeah, sure."

Daryl looked around and found Lizzie's cell incredibly sad. He couldn't believe this little girl had to sleep in there all alone, with practically no one to talk to.

"About Carol…"

Lizzie's face hardened instantly.

"She…died?" she asked, playing with her knife all over again.

"No. She's okay. It's just…"

"You can tell me, Daryl. I'm not scared. Carol told me not to be scared and to keep moving no matter what."

"When is the last time she talked to ya?"

"Before leaving with Rick. She told me I was going to survive. That we were all going to survive. But I have to stay strong and keep fighting."

Daryl nodded, understanding that Carol had done some kind of goodbye speech to Lizzie in case something bad happened to her. She probably knew she might never come back from this run.

"Carol's not here anymore. She…she did somethin' that made Rick mad. He left her on the road. Told her it was best for her not to come back here." he finally said in a soft voice.

"Oh. Does it mean she'll never come back?"

"I'll try to find her. I'll try my best."

"You care a lot about her."

"I care more 'bout her than I care 'bout me. She's the best person I've ever known. You're lucky to have her as a mother figure. She'll do anythin' to keep you and your sister safe. She's a fighter."

"Can we be a family if Carol ever comes back? You could replace my dad. After all, you like Carol. You are always around her."

Daryl chuckled softly, remembering how smart kids are. They notice the smallest details and they aren't biased by the bullshit.

"Of course, sweetheart. We'll be a family, 'right? Now go read that book, I promise I'll come back with Carol soon enough."

Lizzie smiled and took the book once again, trying to convince herself it was for the best. Daryl finally went outside the prison, his heart pounding hard in his chest. That was it. He was going to find her. Bring her back. Deal with the outcome later on. He stopped halfway through the prison yard, looking one last time at the broken watch. He gently stroked it with his thumb, imagining how many times he could have touched Carol the same way if he hadn't been so foolish before. _I'll find you. I always find you._ he thought while still staring at the watch.

But his thoughts were interrupted by a growing noise coming from the woods. It was getting louder and louder by the second. He looked up and couldn't believe what was slowly coming for them. It was a tank.


	2. On the road

**_On the road_**

Carol had been driving for a while now, not really knowing where she was going to spend the night. She could have gone back to the prison right away but she knew it wasn't the right decision. At least, not for now. Rick would have dismissed her once again and it wasn't worth all the trouble.

As she drove, she kept playing her goodbyes with Rick in her head. How surreal it felt to be exiled by a man she considered as family. They had been through so much since the early days at the Atlanta camp. She had a hard time believing he really meant every word he said. _I won't have you there._ His words were still resonating through her mind. It broke her heart. He didn't even trust her enough to let Carl and Judith approach her ever again.

It was pretty ironic considering she was there for his children when he lost his mind and wandered in the woods talking to an hallucination. She was there to support him. She never questioned, never asked. _He has his reasons_, she told Andrea when she questioned Rick's leadership. She always took care of what needed to be done and that was it.

She contributed as much as she could and she never meant to harm anybody. How could he ever doubt that? How could he simply forget those two years spent together? _Rick, it's me._ she had said, trying to make him remember. But it didn't matter, his mind was settled.

And somehow, she couldn't even be mad at him for protecting his children. She was just very disappointed to be considered as a threat in the first place. After all, they had shared a little moment in a backyard just an hour prior to her exile, picking tomatoes and bonding over old stories. She trusted him enough to talk about Ed and Sophia openly, although it meant reopening an old scar.

She wanted him to understand where she had to find her strength. She wanted him to get where she was coming from. But when he banished her, she knew he didn't get it at all. And that's when she finally saw the biggest difference between the two of them. The one difference that made them split apart, although they both had good intentions from the beginning. He never lost a child. He never went through the process of mourning a child like she did.

He still had Carl and Judith in his life. Sophia was dead. Her own daughter got zombified and shot right in front of her. Carol thought she gave Sophia a chance at life by getting out of the CDC just in time but she got robbed the day after, on the highway. And just like that, she was gone forever. Rick didn't know the pain of a grieving parent, how bad it was to outlive your own child.

It makes you come to a turning point where you have to choose if you would rather die or keep on going. And Carol decided to live, despite everything else. Why? Because she was a survivor at heart and she knew that she could grow stronger from it. After all, she had the ability to turn pain into strength.

When she gave her old watch to Rick, she tried to remain strong and proud. She wanted him to know that she wasn't weak and that he should remember her that way. The old Carol was gone, bottled up in this broken watch forever. She liked to believe the old Carol was with Sophia, buried in peace, far away from the mess of this world. The new Carol had to fight to survive. She couldn't afford any more mistakes and she wouldn't allow it, especially now with two new daughters to take care of.

She still had a chance to build something worth living for. But if she wanted to maintain it, she had to find a way to make up for the things she had done back at the prison. She knew that she was going back there, sooner or later. She would try to justify herself, maybe talk to Tyreese in private or something like that. She had to do something. Her life belonged at the prison. After all she went through with them, it was the only viable option.

There was no way she could just leave Lizzie and Mika behind and try to start a life somewhere else. Where could she go? There was nowhere else to go. Their hard winter on the road before finding the prison proved it clearly. Rick knew it too. He just didn't want to have her blood on his hands. If she had to die tonight, he would sleep just fine knowing he wasn't responsible for it. She believed he was scared of her. Scared of her strength, scared of her willingness, scared of her leadership skills.

She reflected to him all those things he wasn't ready to confront right now. He was still trying so hard to cling to normalcy. When the flu knocked at their door, Rick wasn't ready to deal with it but she was. She stepped up in a way he could never had. He found her menacing and he couldn't live with the fact that she was ready to be in charge of the group if the situation demanded it.

And now, she had to pay for it. She was out there on her own with little to no chance to meet another day. She had a crappy car, a few supplies and barely enough gas to drive to somewhere safe for the night. If she wanted to go back to the prison eventually, she would have to come up with a plan first. There was no way she could survive without thinking this through. _God, what would Daryl do in my situation?_ she asked herself, trying not to fall apart. Daryl. She missed him like crazy.

They had been so happy for a while, just enjoying their little routine of the everyday life at the prison. She couldn't believe that she might never see him again. Life always had the tendency to take away from her all the good things she ever had. And she was so disappointed by Rick earlier that she didn't think about leaving a few goodbye words for Daryl.

But somehow, after thinking this through, she finally thought it was better to leave no words at all than having Rick distorting her final goodbyes to him. After all, he already knew the most important things. It made Carol remember her last real conversation with Daryl. It happened a few days before Patrick's incident, during a typical evening at the prison.

She had joined him in his cell with some cheap alcohol they had found on a run. They were both so relaxed and lighthearted. It had helped a lot to get a few weeks without having to worry about anything. For once, they could focus on what they had and actually enjoy it. After a few months, it had changed Daryl to have so many people relying on him and being grateful for the things he was doing. He felt like a better person, someone who could actually have a decent future in this place. And for the first time, they had started talking about it.

* * *

"God, this shit tastes awful." Daryl said after taking a sip from the bottle.

"We can't afford to be picky in this world we live in." she responded, laughing.

"Damn right." he handed her the bottle.

Carol shifted on the bed, positioning her back against the wall. Daryl followed her instinctively.

"Feels great to finally live some kind of normal life. I think we never had that ever since we've known each other." Carol mentioned.

"Yeah...I know. We needed this. After all we've done to get this place safe, it's 'bout time we finally get some kind of payback for it."

"Do you think it will last?"

"Hell, I don' know. I sure hope so."

"I'm glad to have a little outdoor kitchen to feed the community. It sounds stupid, I know, but I'm really happy to have it. Or, you know, have this reading class with the children. It reminds me that education is still important, no matter what kind of world we are living in. I'm just glad we're here, alive and safe."

"Yeah, I think we all found our roles in this place. It could get us somewhere. We could rebuild somethin' worth livin' for."

Carol smiled at those words. She liked to think about a bright future where they could finally move on and start something new.

"If it all works out, do you think…" Carol started before trailing off.

"What?" he asked, narrowing his eyebrows.

"You know…, us."

Daryl shrugged, looked at her briefly, trying to read the expression on her face. She seemed genuinely interested in having a future with him. He didn't know how she could want such a thing but he really didn't mind it at all.

"Guess we'll have to wait and see where it all takes us." he finally answered.

"Daryl…" she breathed. "I need to know. Those peaceful days might not last us forever. If all hell breaks loose tomorrow or something bad happens to either one of us…"

"I don't wanna plan anything. We can't afford to think like that."

"But we can still dream. We can cling to something and fight for it."

"I don't want you to be disappointed, that's all."

"I won't be. Just tell me what you really want. It's all I need."

Daryl sighed and snatched the bottle from Carol's hands. He took another sip, grimaced and put the bottle down. Carol looked at him and dared put a hand on his arm, as a way to encourage him to open up.

"I want to give you the life you deserve. And if you want me to be a part of it, that's good for me 'cause that's what I want too."

"You already know I can't see myself without you. We've been through so much together. I think we deserve a little happiness, don't you think?"

She gently stroked his arm with the back of her hand.

"I'll do what it takes for you to be safe. I'll protect everyone in this prison but you're the first in line. After all, the outdoor kitchen would be useless without the little lady servin' my meal every day." he chuckled, poking her with his elbow.

"Hey! Don't mess around with my outdoor kitchen…Pookie."

"Stop callin' me that stupid name and I'll start thinkin' 'bout it."

"Come on, I know you like it. It suits you perfectly."

"Ya right."

They both laughed and spent the rest of the evening chatting about the most random things. He was openly more affectionate with her and she wasn't complaining about it. For once, she felt her life was actually heading somewhere. A place where she could have Daryl by her side and teach children about life.

* * *

As the sun was settling down, Carol found herself getting a little nervous. Fortunately, she had seen a road sign indicating a small town in a few miles. She could get there, she was confident enough about that. She planned to sleep over there for the night, gather up some supplies in the morning, fill up her gas tank and hit the road heading back to the prison. She would then deal with the outcome like a big woman. Maybe have the council decide her fate. Try to find some kind of arrangement. Rick couldn't be the only one in charge at the prison. How many of them were probably upset that he dealt with it on his own? She had to go back to figure it out herself.

Her car finally entered the little town. It had a few potential houses for her to sleep in. The odd thing was that she felt she wasn't entirely alone although the place was clearly deserted. They were a few walkers moving in the streets but nothing to be afraid of. She got out of the car and took a deep breath. It felt so good to finally get some fresh air. She could tell the days were getting colder because the wind made her shiver instantly. Carol took her bag and headed towards a few random houses.

That's when she found a great set up in the middle of a street. It was made in wood with some barbed wire and pointy sticks. It made her remember the installment back at the prison. Rick had convinced them to start fortify the surroundings with those type of traps. She found it was a strange coincidence. Also, she could see some cages with small rats in them. They were probably used to draw the walkers to the traps so they could be manageable afterwards. _Very clever, _she thought, still staring at the whole thing.

But that's when she understood something wasn't right. This whole system was obviously still running pretty good. After all, the rats couldn't have been there for too long. They had to be fed somehow. And it finally hit her like a thousand bricks. She wasn't alone in this place. And as she tried to back away, she found herself falling onto someone's chest. She wanted to look behind her but it was too late. She got hit and suddenly fell unconscious.


	3. The good, the bad and the weak

_**The good, the bad and the weak**_

Carol woke up in the morning, feeling nauseous and tense. It didn't take her long to realize she was tied to a bed with some wires. _Where the hell I am?_ she immediately thought. She looked around and she could see those walls covered with words, patterns and bright colors. _Clear_, she could see it written everywhere in all shapes and colors. It was so strange, as if someone was obsessed with this particular word. _God, what have I got myself into? _A man finally came up to her after a few minutes left on her own. He was a tall black man harboring a serious look on his face. He had prepared some kind of breakfast for her. Nothing too elaborated. A glass of water with some biscuits. He freed her hands but made sure her legs were still tied up. He then gave her the plate.

"Here. Eat this."

Carol nodded and took a bite without hesitation. She was famished. While she was eating, she could see the man staring at her, probably pondering what to do with her next. He didn't seem menacing, just kind of disconnected at some point.

"What's your name?" he asked, sitting down on a chair to face her.

Carol stopped eating, wondering if giving her real name was going to play against her. Then she remembered it didn't really matter at all.

"Carol. Carol Peletier."

The man nodded, processing the information.

"Yours?" she dared asked.

He waited a long moment before answering, as if he was fighting something inside himself. He seemed to really struggle internally.

"Morgan Jones." he finally answered.

"You are the one who built those traps?" she continued.

"I did. Makes it easier to clear."

_Clear_, this word popping up again. She really wondered why this word was so important to him.

"Why didn't you kill me? I was in your territory."

"I could have but I preferred not to. You didn't look like a threat. Besides, I checked your car and everything seemed okay. Are you all by yourself? "

"Yes. I got banished from the place I was living in. I did something without consulting my group."

"What did you do?"

Carol hesitated, not really knowing how to confess something like that.

"I…I killed two people from my group who were suffering from a disease. I wanted to prevent it from spreading but it didn't work out."

Morgan chuckled, taking the plate back from Carol.

"That's it? That doesn't make you evil. "

"I guess it doesn't. I had good intentions."

"You have family back there?"

"Well, I have two adopted daughters. My husband died a while ago, a few days after the outbreak. My real daughter…she…"

Morgan suddenly focused on her with a lot of attention.

"She died because I was too weak back then to teach her how to defend herself. I didn't even know how to defend myself either. That's one of my deepest regrets."

Morgan nodded and stood up, suddenly feeling uncomfortable. He threw the plate on the ground and started to cry. Carol looked at him with astonishment, wondering what she had said that made him react this way. He started mumbling something to himself, barely audible to Carol's ears.

"Did I say something wrong?"

"No…no…no…"

"Morgan?"

"It's okay. I just…I understand what you've been going through."

"You live alone?"

"I do. I have a job to do here. It ain't gonna get done by itself."

He crouched on the ground to pick up the shattered pieces of the plate.

"Listen, I have to go back to the place I live."

"Why? You got exiled. It doesn't matter now."

"It does. I could still fix the situation if I try."

Morgan suddenly stood up and walked towards her in a heartbeat.

"You really think that? You really think it's that easy?"

"If I don't try, I'll never know. There's gotta be a way."

He couldn't help but laugh in her face. He looked totally submerged into madness.

"People like you and me…we don't come back from this. We're weak. You're gonna lose those little girls because you're weak and you'll never be able to protect them."

"Don't ever say that I'm weak again. I'm not."

"You said it earlier. It even got your own daughter killed! And you know what? I understand you because I have done the same thing with my own son! He died because I wasn't able to put down his zombified mother. Do you see how pathetic it is?"

"Get me out of here. Now."

"Going back there is a mistake. Trust me. You should clear with me. Clear this town. It's all we could ever do since we ain't gonna die just yet."

Carol looked puzzled, clearly trying to make some sense out of this mess.

"People like us, we don't die. Have you ever questioned yourself about why you haven't died yet? Why you defied all the odds while so many people died before you?"

"I did. But that was because I found the strength in myself to continue."

"Wrong! It was because people died at your place. You survived because there was always someone taking the risks you couldn't take."

"This is ridiculous. You don't know what you are saying."

Morgan went back to picking up his mess on the floor. He took a long time before speaking to Carol again. She began to feel her legs getting numb. She just wanted to get out of here and move on with her plan. This Morgan was obviously unstable and she didn't want to stay around here much longer. She could detach herself from the remaining wires at her legs but he would immediately stop her. She had to convince him to let her go.

"I had this guy come here once. It was a few months ago. A really good guy I've known since the beginning of the outbreak. My son and I helped him get better and he helped us gathering some ammo. We tried to stay in touch through walkie talkies but it didn't really work out. He left us to join a camp at Atlanta. Told us to meet him over there but we never did. Duane had died meanwhile. One day he came back here. We talked. And you know what I told him? I told him he was a good guy and that he would die at some point. The good and the bad people die. The weak people never die. He said he had some issues. A bad guy wanted what he had. I told him it was because he had something worth fighting for. He's probably dead by now. His name was Rick."

Carol felt shaken by this revelation. Rick came here? How? When?

"Rick?" she said, stupefied.

"You know him?"

"Yes. And he is still very much alive. In fact, he's the one who banished me from where we live."

* * *

Carol couldn't help being enthusiastic as her legs finally got freed. She walked around carefully, trying not to unsettle Morgan. She could see how loaded he was with guns and ammo. He had probably looted the whole town all by himself.

"So, you know Rick? How?" he asked.

"The Atlanta camp you talked about earlier. We met over there. He joined us before we got overrun. We've been through a lot together. Became a family. I took care of his children like they were my own. Rick has a lot of flaws but he wants to do things the right way and he is a true survivor. He survived so many things already, including the last war that occurred at the prison, where we live."

Morgan nodded, folding his arms on his chest. He was definitely thinking some things through.

"What you said about the good, bad and weak people…it isn't the right way to look at it. No one is entirely good. Or bad. Or weak. We have the potential to be all of it but the only thing that differs from a person to another is how we choose to be defined. Rick is a good man but he has his share of mistakes. And he broke down when his wife died, ended up backing away from his leadership role. Take my situation, for example. I did something I thought was for the greater good but Rick thought it was wrong. He saw it as an immoral act while I saw it as a preventive act to save other people. Do you see where I am getting from? It isn't entirely black or white."

Morgan stared at her, listening carefully to her every word.

"You think you are weak because you chose to be defined that way over a single incident that wasn't really your fault in the first place. You can be whoever you want to be. Losing a child is a tragedy but you can come back from it if you want to. I chose to come back from it because there is still so much to live for. I have now two daughters back there waiting for me. I can start over. It's a second chance. You can always have one too."

Morgan didn't speak for a while, still absorbing everything she had said. He thought she was right. She looked like the perfect example of someone who can come back from the past. He thought it wasn't possible but there she was, looking determinate to fix everything. He had been wrong. She wasn't weak at all. Not in the slightness. And Rick was still alive, despite everything going against him. He wasn't entirely a pure good man. He had done mistakes like everybody else and he was flawed. But he chose to be defined as a good man because it was what he was mostly, at heart.

Morgan felt bad for telling Rick that his son was going to die, that he was going to lose everything he cared about and that he would end up dying also. It wasn't reality. Like Carol said, it never is entirely black or white. People are more complex than that and everyone is different to a certain degree. No one can say for sure how someone is going to end up. Life can be unpredictable, especially in this new kind of world. The circumstances can change all the time and the only thing we can do is to adapt to those situations at the best of our capacity. Sometimes using the good, the bad, and the weak in us.

"You should go back." he finally said, calmly.

Carol nodded, picking up her bag lying on the floor.

"I'll give you what you need for the travel and you go fix things up. Alright?"

"You don't want to join us?"

Morgan picked up a random bag and put a few guns in it. He also added some ammunition boxes.

"Rick asked me to join your group when he came here. I told him I had a job to do here. That I had to clear the place like a janitor would do. So, I refused his offer. "

Morgan zipped the bag of guns, handed it to Carol and went for some water bottles and food. He then loaded another bag with the food supplies he gathered.

"And I will have to refuse your offer too but not for the same reason this time. "

He stopped packing and looked right at her.

"Your way at redemption is by heading back over there and fix things up. My way at redemption is by staying here, keeping this town safe and honoring my son Duane. I'll stop refusing people who comes by from now on. I'll let them stay. "

"Are you sure? You can still come if you want to. You already know Rick."

"I'm already established here. I know this place by heart. I can help people and protect them. I'll build more traps and find new ways to make this place secure."

Carol nodded, finally getting where he was coming from. He was trying to fix things up too.

"Here. Let me get you to your car. There are some traps around this house I wouldn't want you to fall in."

* * *

Morgan closed the gas tank and put a new gas can in the car trunk. Carol was already seated, ready to take off.

"I gave you a new gas can, just in case you might need to do some extra miles for some reasons. You have a bag with food supplies and another one with guns. I'm giving them to you. I'm confident you'll need them at some point on your way back. I hope you'll find a way to redeem yourself."

"Thank you. I'm sure you will too. Remember, we can come back. "

Morgan offered a small smile to Carol, looking the most sane he has probably ever been in a long time.

"I'm sorry for what I said earlier. You're not weak. You never gave up. You never went crazy or suicidal after losing your daughter. You're one strong woman."

"Like I said, I found things worth living for. And I'm sure you'll find too."

"Drive safely." he finally said.

Carol smiled and squeezed his hand gently.

"Goodbye Morgan."

She left the town and slowly headed back to the prison. Meeting Morgan was a strange experience but she knew it had been for the best. This man needed help and felt powerless after experiencing the same things as her. He had chosen to be weak while she preferred to harden and not give up. It was interesting to see him reflecting to her all the choices she could have made if she hadn't found the strength to move on.

She had to admit Daryl was a big game changer too. He was there for her when no one was. They helped each other heal. Morgan had no one to make him feel better through this whole process. It made him slowly lose touch with reality. But Carol was sure she opened something in him. Something that could help him grieve his son correctly. She knew he could make it like she did. He just had to keep going. Like she told Lizzie: _You fight it and you fight it. __You don't give up__. And then one day, you change. We all change. _To survive, she had to change and adapt herself.

And it made her become stronger in the end. She wanted Lizzie and Mika to do just the same. She wanted them to fight right now so they could be prepared for whatever was coming next. She was trying to think a few steps in advance, like a mother who plans a trip with her kids. If you don't want to be caught unprepared, you must plan ahead. And that's why she did what she did back at the prison. The mother in her was trying to prevent her family from getting sick. It didn't really work out as planned but she at least tried something. _I stepped up._

The prison was not very far ahead. She had been driving for a few hours now. It was still morning. She parked her car near the woods and got out. She wasn't going there just yet. She should check her inventory before moving forward. Carol opened the car trunk and looked at the guns Morgan packed in a bag. She had two rifles and a shotgun. She made sure they were fully loaded before putting them back in the bag.

Carol then heard a few movements coming from the woods, the sound of dry leaves being crushed under footsteps. She turned around and saw two walkers lurking towards her. She pulled out her knife and didn't hesitate to put the blade into their skulls. It had become so easy to use this weapon. It was now a part of her. A part of who she was.

She felt instant relief as the walkers fell on the ground. She wandered in the woods just a little bit, making sure there was no walkers around. To her satisfaction, the place was secured. But then, a new noise caught her ears. Something much louder than two walkers lurking in the woods. She looked around but couldn't see anything. She felt she was too far to see anything at all. Carol ran back to her car and drove a little bit closer to the prison. The sound she had been hearing was only growing louder in her ears. It was uncommon to hear such a thing with woods surrounding them.

She parked her car at a reasonable distance from the prison so it couldn't be seen from the watchtowers. Instinctively, she took the whole bag of guns and ventured in the woods. She knew that no matter what was happening, she was better in the woods than out in the opening. Daryl always taught her that. _Stay in the woods. Best way to be safe. If you're silent enough, you can draw the enemies out of your way. You just have to remember where you are. Never lose your own tracks. Be the one who chases something, not the other way around. Plan a few steps ahead. Never be taken off guard. Worst mistake to make. _Daryl once told her, trying to teach her the basics of surviving in the woods.

Carol tried to make her way in the woods without making too much noise. She could see the prison through the trees. She had her rifle in her hands, ready to shoot at anything that could look like a threat. Her heart was pounding hard, she thought it was going to get out of her chest. Then, she finally perceived some movements near the prison gate. The view gave her chills.

The Governor was back with a tank and a whole new group. A new war was about to start. _Oh my god! What is going on? _she immediately thought, still trying to realize what was happening. She froze in place, ready to burst out in tears at the thought of her family being in danger. She had to do something. She finally calmed down, took the rifle and slowly aimed towards the prison gate, ready to shoot at anyone making a wrong move. _Remember. You're not weak. You're gonna survive. _she kept repeating in her head.


	4. A mirage in the chaos

**_A mirage in the chaos_**

Rick, who had heard the same loud noise as Daryl, turned around and saw the Governor standing on a tank in front of the prison gate, surrounded by a new army.

"No! No! What are you doing here? This can't be real!" Rick cried out, walking slowly towards the prison gate with his hand reaching for his colt python.

The Governor laughed, looked around him and shrugged as he put his hands on his waist.

"It's been a long time, Rick. Glad to see you too."

"What do you want?"

"We came here for the prison. You see, we have a little group out there and we need a new place to live. I thought this prison would do just fine."

"Go find your own place and leave us alone! We worked hard to keep this prison safe. We have sick people here! Sick children! We can't afford to go away. "

"This isn't negotiable. We're ready to fight for it. You destroyed my old home, I'm taking yours. It seems fair enough. "

"No, it isn't. You know like me how it really went down and I have my hands clean."

"Listen, I'll give you a chance to go before we force ourselves into the territory, alright?"

"And what happens if we choose to fight instead?"

"You can do whatever you want. I'm just offering you the choice to leave without having any member of your group killed. If you choose to fight, we'll fight. Like I said, we're ready to fight for it. We need this prison."

"And we need it too." Rick insisted.

Daryl was watching the whole scene from afar, looking at the Governor as Rick was trying to plead for their cause. Fortunately, he had found the time to grab a rifle and some ammo in his truck before the Governor reached the prison gate with his army. He was ready to fight for the prison at all costs but he felt even more anxious about Carol's exile. Was she in danger? Could she be taken is hostage? Did she find a way to avoid meeting them on the road? Daryl knew that if Carol had been there with them, she would have fought for the prison as much as anybody else. But the sad truth was that Rick would probably learn it too late and regret his decision down the line, if they survived this battle in the first place. And Daryl felt nauseous just realizing he might die today without seeing Carol's face ever again.

For a quick second, he tried to remember her as best as he could. He didn't want to forget how she looked. The smallest details he had memorized ever since he first saw her. He had always been observant and he wasn't ashamed to use this skill when it came down to Carol. Her beauty had fascinated him ever since they met. He liked her big blue eyes. The way they could express so much emotions with a simple gaze. He also liked her silver hair. It had been growing much longer since their arrival at the prison. He noticed her locks were getting curlier as months went by. He guessed she was probably a curly-haired woman in the past, when she still had her long locks before meeting Ed. Daryl also liked her whole body, although he never admitted it to himself before. She was so tiny but she had curves in all the right places. He had spent so many sleepless nights wondering how good she must be looking naked.

He immediately felt ashamed of it when the thought first came to his mind but he really couldn't help it. Their proximity only made it harder not to wonder what Carol was hiding behind all those clothes. He was sure she had a firm body from working hard around the prison all the time. And he was sure that if he touched her everywhere, her skin would be as soft and tender as her hands were the few times she touched him. But the most important thing to remember was her face, her beautiful face. He liked everything about it. Staring at her doing chores or speaking during the council meetings wasn't really hard to do. And when she smiled, he knew the fight was worth it. Seeing the genuine happiness on her traits made Daryl want to protect her even harder. A smiling Carol was what he wanted to remember when he would be affronting his fate today. No matter the outcome, he would at least keep in mind his biggest motivation to stay alive.

Michonne finally came out of the prison and stood next to a thinking Daryl.

"What the hell is going on? This asshole came back with a new army? After all those months spent trying to track him, he comes back now?"

"Yeah…Think we might be enterin' a second battle right here. He wants us to leave the prison." he said while adjusting his rifle in his hands. "Prepare our people. We're goin' to war."

"But most people are still sick! I'm going to take him out myself. Can't let him destroy our place."

"C'mon, no time to waste here. We're gonna fight. Gather up everyone who can still protect the prison. Send Hershel, the sick people and the children in some place secure, far from here."

Michonne hesitated, really wanting to take care of this situation alone. But as she looked at the tank and the equipment they had, she knew it couldn't be done that way.

"Alright. I guess there's no other choice here…" she finally answered.

* * *

Michonne entered the A-block and directly went for Hershel, Maggie and Glenn. They knew something was wrong as they saw Michonne slightly losing her general composure.

"We have to go, now." she said.

"What is going on?" Maggie asked, still looking over Glenn who was only starting to heal from the ravaging flu.

"The Governor, he's back. He wants the prison and he's ready to fight for it."

"Oh my god! We can't let this happening! How are we going to do this?" Maggie answered, firmly holding Glenn's hand.

"We'll find a way, Maggie. We have to keep our sick people away from the Governor. And that includes you, Glenn." Hershel proposed, knowing that keeping calm was the only way to manage this situation.

"I..I can still fight. I'm not dead." Glenn argued, slowly trying to stand up.

"You aren't going anywhere, son. You, Sasha, Lizzie and the others need to go somewhere safe. You won't survive otherwise." Hershel continued.

"What about Beth, Mika and Judith?" Maggie asked.

"We'll tell them to find some safe place too. I'll go find Tyreese, Carl and Bob to let them know about the situation. Maggie, you'll have to fight with us." Michonne said.

Maggie looked at her father and then at Glenn.

"Is it okay with you, Glenn?"

"If you go with them, I have to be there with you. I don't want to see you risk your life while I'm at some other place."

"But you can't fight and I won't allow you to do it. It isn't right. You'll have to trust me."

"Maggie is right. The best way to keep you both alive is to split you apart for now. She can take care of herself. You know that, right?" Hershel told Glenn.

"I know…I'm just worried about how we'll get out of this mess. We never seem to catch a break at all."

"Stay positive. We need you to be right now." Hershel assured him.

After a few minutes, the arrangement was settled and Maggie followed Michonne after saying her goodbyes to Glenn and her father.

* * *

Michonne, Maggie, Tyreese, Carl and Bob joined Daryl and Rick in the prison yard. All the others, for the most part, we're getting ready to leave the prison.

"Look at what we have here. The little family finally reunited. You lost a lot of people along the way, haven't you?" the Governor teased.

"Like I said, we got sick people back at the prison. We can't afford to lose any of them." Rick reaffirmed, slowly losing his patience.

"Well, you still have time to consider my offer. It can all be settled right here, right now."

Rick looked around and tried to scan his fighting team. They all seemed ready to fight.

"No. We aren't going to leave this place. It's ours. We've earned it fair and square."

"I take this as your final answer then. You've been warned."

As soon as he spoke those last words, the tank moved forward and smashed the fence down. The few walkers around the prison we're attracted by the noise it made.

"Kill them all!" the Governor finally yelled, his hand pointing to Rick's group.

* * *

Carol heard the first shot and she started panicking. The tank was now moving in the prison yard and the few cars they had followed immediately. It was rapidly turning into a gigantic mess. From her position, she could probably reach two targets if she concentrated hard enough. But after that, she would have to move on and get out of the woods. They were starting to go too far for her to be efficient. She first aimed at a guy who was one of the last people to enter the prison yard. It was her easiest chance at reaching someone at this point. _Come on, you can do it. You can't afford any mistake. If you miss too much, they'll start noticing something is off._ she tried to convince herself.

She took a deep breath, positioned her rifle in her hands and started aiming at the guy she had spotted. She shot one time and the guy fell down immediately. Carol was shocked at how easy it had been. She guessed those numerous practices with Daryl on the road made her gain some skills along the way. Getting pretty confident about herself, she started spotting her new target. It was another man who was following a car closely with a gun in his hands, already trying to shoot some of her friends. She aimed and shot. Another fall. _Two in two. Time to move on._ she told herself.

Carol took her bag containing all the guns and ran off without any further questioning.

In no time, she was running past through the broken prison fence. She shot a few walkers along the way who were desperately trying to reach for her. A woman noticed Carol's sudden presence and tried to aim her gun at her but Carol didn't hesitate a second and took her down easily. She looked around before taking the gun out of her hands and putting it in her bag. Carol then hid behind the closest car and tried to see the view before her. The scene was rather confusing and she couldn't really see her friends from where she was. Somehow, she knew she had an advantage by being hidden on the enemy's side and it could definitely help her take some of them down without much trouble. All she could hear were gunshots over and over again. But then, she heard the striking difference when the tank began shooting with the main gun. _Alright, let's be strategic here. No time to waste. The most important thing is to take out as much as you can without getting noticed._

* * *

Daryl hid behind the countertop of the outdoor kitchen, shooting from there with Michonne and Tyreese. He had seen Rick and Carl heading in a different direction. Maggie and Bob were somewhere else too as Tyreese could recall. Michonne looked quickly at her bloody calf through her pants.

"Are you okay?" Daryl asked, reloading his rifle as Tyreese kept watching around.

"I'll have to be. A little fucker did this to me. I shot him down without hesitation. Guess it's my luck, huh. Second time I get shot in the leg."

"You're tough, hang on." Daryl assured her as he then proceeded to make a bandage out of his sleeve so he could stop the bleeding.

"I'll try to cut the Governor's head off. That's really all he deserves for this whole damn thing. I won't move on until he's dead."

"We're gettin' there. They are losin' quite a lot of people on their side. They keep fallin' down like flies but we haven't been shootin' that much since the beginnin'."

"Who knows? Maybe the others are doing a fine job on their own. I won't complain about it." Michonne responded, doing a little grimace as Daryl made sure the bandage would hold in place.

"Guys, I think someone is shooting them from their side." Tyreese finally said.

"What the hell? How's that even possible?" Daryl answered, taking a look by himself.

"Maybe someone decided to betray their group…can't really tell from here. But I see some people going down pretty fast."

Daryl squinted his eyes and tried to analyze the situation from his place. The Governor was still on his tank shooting at them mercilessly. Besides that, there was a guy holding a machine gun on top of a truck. The four other cars were all left abandoned and maybe around seven or eight people from the Governor's group were still alive.

"Alright, I think we can do this. There's not much left to do." Daryl suggested.

"Can't leave Michonne alone here. We'll both cover you if you decide to move on." Tyreese answered, taking a look at Michonne's wound.

"Okay, I'll try to get closer. Nothin' will happen if everybody keeps hidin'."

Daryl looked around and slowly made his way through the prison yard, hiding as best as he could between the little structures.

* * *

Carol had shot about five people from her hidden spot. Fortunately, the Governor was too busy playing with his tank to even notice his group was crumbling down pretty fast. As she reloaded her rifle, she could tell the walkers were slowly moving in the battle too. Soon enough, they would become the real threat to worry about. She shot the first three that came for her but she knew it wasn't going to be enough. There was a small herd coming directly for them. All this noise obviously attracted them to the prison. She would have to move fast but where could she go? After a few seconds, she decided to climb on the car's roof to gain some altitude and avoid the herd. She knew she was not hidden anymore but she couldn't take the risk to stay on the ground with so many walkers coming for them. She couldn't see her friends from where she was. They were probably all hidden at this point.

She kneeled down on one knee and started aiming for the man with the machine gun on his truck. He was doing the most damages around the place along with the Governor. He was pretty far but she was confident she could reach him if she kept calm and stopped worrying about the walkers surrounding the car she was on top of. After slowing her breaths, she positioned her rifle and shot. The bullet didn't reach him but it was close enough that he noticed someone was behind him. He slowly turned his head to look at her but she shot a few other times and finally took him down. The machine gun stopped shooting immediately.

* * *

Daryl walked closer to the battlefield, trying his best not to be caught by anyone. He noticed someone had took down the guy with the machine gun. He really wondered how anyone from their group could do this from a hidden place, considering this guy had been shooting like crazy for the last few minutes. He could see that the battle was coming to an end. The Governor's army wasn't really imposing anymore. At the corner of his eye, he could sight a man trying to shoot him but Daryl was faster than he was and he shot him right in the head. The tank was not too far from him, he wondered if he could take out the Governor without being noticed. But as he tried to think this through, he saw a big herd of walkers slowly coming for them. _Better make it fast then, _he thought.

And as he started aiming for the Governor's head, a gunshot was heard and the Governor immediately fell down from the tank. Daryl narrowed his eyebrows and looked around, not understanding where it was coming from. All he could see in the far distance was a herd coming for him and…someone standing on top of a car, holding a rifle. _Who the fuck is that?_ he whispered to himself, slowly moving forward to get a better look. He knew he wasn't going to be able to get further as the walkers were everywhere but he just wanted to see the one person who took down the Governor by himself. And after getting closer and closer, he finally saw the person's face. The face of the person who saved their lives. The face he was trying so hard not to forget. Her face. _Carol. _

Daryl stood there, completely in shock. He looked at her as if she was a mirage emerging from the chaos around them. She looked so magnificent standing there, on top of that car. As soon as she saw Daryl, she released her grip on the rifle and stared at him for the longest time, not believing what she was seeing either. Without saying any words, they shared a little moment, as they knew it wasn't going to last. Daryl tried to reach for her, get her out of this place but she was surrounded by dozens of walkers already. He had to move on if he wanted to survive. _Ain't gonna leave you behind. _he thought. And as if she was reading his mind, she yelled:

"Go! You have to go!"

Daryl didn't move, still clinging to the thought he could save her, protect her from the cruelty of this world. The herd was just a few meters from him now.

"We'll find each other again, Daryl. We always do."

Daryl snapped back to reality and nodded to her before shooting a walker slowly reaching for him. He stepped back, realizing it wasn't manageable anymore, and he ran in the opposite direction. Carol tried to give him a better chance at escaping by shooting the walkers surrounding him in a short distance. _I don't wanna plan anything. We can't afford to think like that. _he had told her that night in his cell. _But we can still dream. We can cling to something and fight for it. _she had responded, trying to make him talk about their future together.

And as she saw Daryl running away in the distance, she replayed this little conversation in her head one more time, aiming her rifle at the walkers still following him.


	5. The aftermath

**_The aftermath_**

"Where the hell are we going?" Michonne asked, hesitating to stand up as Daryl insisted for them to follow him.

"C'mon, no time to ask. We have to go now. "

"Daryl, what's going on?" Tyreese spoke up, clearly worried.

"Herd. We can't look back. It's comin' right at us."

Both Michonne and Tyreese looked behind Daryl and noticed he wasn't kidding.

"What about the others?" Michonne proposed.

"They can't be that far. We'll find them. Let's go."

Tyreese helped put Michonne on her feet as she grabbed his shoulder for support. Daryl looked behind him and saw the big herd slowly filling up the prison yard. They were coming for them in the minute. As Tyreese and Michonne made their way towards the back of the prison, Daryl took the chance to yell Rick's name. At this point, it wasn't going to change the outcome anyway.

"Rick! Rick!" Daryl cried out, looking everywhere around him.

After a few seconds, Rick and Carl got out of their hidden place and reached for the trio.

"Is everyone alright?" Rick quickly asked, taking notice of Michonne's bandage.

"Yeah…We still don' know where are Maggie and Bob, though." Daryl pointed out.

"Go look for them. I'll take Michonne and Tyreese to the car. The bus must be ready to leave by now if they aren't already gone. Remember, we have a meeting place."

Daryl nodded and headed back towards the prison, yelling Maggie and Bob's names. They couldn't leave without them. Glenn would be pissed to know Maggie got left behind. Daryl's thoughts suddenly drifted to Carol, who was probably still on top of that car, trying to find a way to escape. It took everything for him to get away from her. He wanted to touch her, tell her it was going to be alright…but he knew it was impossible. He had to go. They would find each other again. She told him so and he wanted to believe it. She knew about their meeting place.

She had been there when the place got voted on the council. It was a big wooden cottage, a few miles in the north. Michonne had found it on one of those trips where she tried to track the Governor on her own. It was isolated and they had cleared up the perimeter easily. It was spacious enough to receive the whole group if they needed to evacuate the prison someday. Daryl wondered why she didn't go there once she found out she couldn't return to the prison. Did she forget about it? Did she not remember where it was? Or maybe she was already installed in there but wanted to check up on them as soon as she got the chance to do so? He honestly didn't know. He just hoped that she was heading that way because he couldn't afford to see her disappear for good this time.

"Maggie? Bob? Damnit!" he grunted.

"Daryl?" a little voice whispered beside him.

Daryl turned around and saw Lizzie staring at him with Mika holding Judith in her car seat.

"What the hell? What are you two doin' here? Why aren't you on the bus?"

"They left without us."

"They wouldn't leave without y'all, what happened?"

"We evacuated the prison really late. The gunshots were already starting when we were packing up our stuff. Hershel needed Beth to help him bring the sick people in the bus so they gave us Judith. We waited in the prison as long as we could but no one came back for us. I went to look outside but there was no one left. The bus was gone." Lizzie explained.

"God, they probably had no choice. They were surely cornered from everywhere." Daryl breathed, trying to figure it out.

"We have Judith so it's always that." Mika mentioned, still holding firmly on the car seat.

"Yea..Rick will be happy 'bout lil'asskicker. Have you seen Maggie and Bob? Been lookin' for them."

"No, they are probably gone already." Lizzie answered.

"Alright, no time to waste. We have to go. "

* * *

"Dad, the herd is coming. We've got to go" Carl said, attaching his belt.

Michonne and Tyreese were both waiting in silence in the back of the car, clearly exhausted from the recent battle.

"I know Carl, I know." Rick simply answered, staring at his window waiting for a little sign from Daryl.

"Then what are you waiting for?" Carl urged.

"Daryl's still out there. I sent him searching for Maggie and Bob. He might come back any minute now."

"He'll find us, Rick." Michonne finally spoke up. "Carl is right, we need to leave. Those walkers are about to reach us and once they do…there's no way out."

Rick sighed, closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. He felt very conflicted. Daryl would never forgive him for leaving him behind, especially after Carol's exile. He knew their friendship would probably never be the same from now on.

"Alright…We don't have much of a choice then." Rick finally said, starting the car.

* * *

Daryl guided the little girls into the woods, the one place he could still feel safe no matter what happens out there. They had to keep moving fast. He realized just how vulnerable his group really was as he took a quick glance at baby Judith in the car seat. He couldn't afford to screw up on that one. If Judith cried or if the little girls began making too much noise, they were done.

"Where are we going?" Lizzie said, following Daryl's steps closely.

"There's a house waitin' for us. That's our meeting place with the others."

"Is it far from here?"

"If we keep movin' like this, it will take us hours to get there. Might take us more than a day."

"We have Judith's baby supplies with us. It's in my backpack." Mika mentioned.

"Good, we'll need 'em. I'll set up a little camp for the night. Maybe hunt a little to get us somethin' to eat."

They continued their walk in silence, trying as much as possible to avoid the few walkers lurking around. Daryl wanted to keep it low profile so he could save his energy for the hunt. He knew it wasn't going to be easy, especially with those kids to look out for. He never had to babysit anyone in his life before. He never had the chance to experiment it although he knew people would probably not trust him around children.

The thing was that he didn't hate them. He just had no clue how to function around them. Now, he had the pressure to keep both Carol's adoptive daughters and Rick's baby alive. It was going to be one particular hard task. He didn't know if he should tell those little girls about what he saw earlier on the battlefield. Carol standing on that car, risking her own life to save them despite Rick's decision to banish her. No one knew she was there, except him. Hell, not many knew she was gone in the first place. Lizzie knew but Mika didn't. In the end, he thought he might as well tell them everything he knew. It might give them some sense of hope, after all they have endured.

After a few miles, Daryl decided to install the camp in a specific spot; far enough from the road but still up in the north, where they were heading to. He dropped his backpack and his crossbow on the ground so he could pick up some pieces of wood around the place to start a fire. Mika sat down with Judith on the ground while Lizzie looked around with confusion in her eyes.

"I don't know what we're doing here. Where are the others?"

"Calm down. We'll find them. Carol is probably somewhere with the group too." Mika answered, playing with Judith's hands.

Lizzie kneeled down in front of her sister and narrowed her eyebrows.

"Daryl didn't tell you about Carol?"

Mika suddenly stared at her sister with fear in her eyes.

"What happened to her?"

"She is gone. She did something bad. Rick made her go away."

"What kind of bad thing?"

"I don't know. Daryl didn't tell me."

"Is she coming back? Dad told her to keep an eye on us…"

"She could be anywhere right now. Maybe she turned out like Nick. Who knows?"

"You are so stupid. Get over Nick. He's not what you think he was."

"He was still something before they killed him! He was just…transformed. "

"Those things are dead. They don't think. They kill."

"He was just different but he was still Nick inside."

"Whatever." Mika rolled her eyes and put her attention back on Judith.

Daryl started the fire and installed some logs around the camp fire, predicting it would get cold once the sun settles down for the night in a few hours. He still hadn't figured out how they would sleep with such a basic installment but he would find a way to make it work.

He did have his poncho in his backpack, wondering if it would be enough to keep the little girls warm during the night. But for now, he had other priorities in mind. He had to find food and fast. He was starving to death. He hadn't eat properly since early in the morning, right before Rick told him about Carol. He guessed it was probably the same for Lizzie and Mika.

The real problem was that he didn't know how to go hunting without leaving them behind. He would lose efficacy if he brought them along deeper in the woods. He had to think this through. Daryl stopped in front of the little girls and awkwardly crouched before them in order to look more friendly.

"You hungry?" he mumbled, not looking at any of them.

"Yes. But there's no food around here." answered Lizzie.

"Right. That's why I'll go huntin' but we've got a lil' problem here…."

"What?" Mika responded, still getting Judith occupied.

"Can't leave y'all out there while I go huntin'. It's not safe."

Lizzie considered him a long moment and shrugged.

"We can protect the camp. Carol taught us how to defend ourselves."

"She…she did?" Daryl said, merely confused.

"Yeah, during story time. She had all those knives with her and she showed us how to use them. She thought it was important for us to know how to be safe. She wants us to be strong."

"…Makes sense." Daryl answered, trying to ignore the painful image of Sophia coming out of the barn.

"So…is it okay if we stay here?"

" I don' know…I mean…If anything happens to y'all, I'm no better than dead. Can't take the chance."

"Stay around the place, don't go too far. We both have knives. We can manage a walker or two. Do you have a spare gun for us?"

Daryl suppressed a little laugh and finally looked at Lizzie to decide whether she was kidding or not.

"Are you serious, kid? Carol wouldn't want that."

"Actually, she would. That's why she taught us all those things. Please, you have to trust us. It's the only way."

Daryl stood up, walked back and forth in front of them and ran a hand through his hair. He couldn't believe he was about to let kids defend the camp while he was gone. It sounded like a horrible plan from all perspectives. You just don't let kids alone in the woods. It's pretty much like a death sentence, especially in this new world they live in. He didn't want to let Carol down. She would never forgive him if those little girls died under his watch. At the same time, he couldn't let them starve like this and go to bed with an empty stomach. They wouldn't last long like this without food.

"Goddamnit!" he growled, still unsure what to do.

After a few more seconds, Daryl reached for his backpack and pulled out a gun from it. He checked the ammunition left in the magazine and it was good for ten rounds. He made sure the safety was on before giving the gun to Lizzie.

"Alright. We'll do this. I show ya how to use the gun and then, I'm off in the woods. I won't go too far. I'll make sure y'all are in my sight wherever I go."

Lizzie nodded and listened carefully to Daryl's next instructions.

* * *

The trip had been exhausting for all of them. Carl slept most of the travel while both Michonne and Tyreese kept quiet, still processing the terrible events that happened back at the prison. Rick pulled over when he finally saw the cottage and the bus parked right in front of it.

"That's it. We're here. Let's meet with the others." Rick said, opening his car door.

Tyreese opened the door for Michonne and helped her out of her seat. A few seconds later, the cottage door swung open as Glenn made his way to the small group.

"Where's Maggie? Did you see her? Did something happen to her?" Glenn mumbled rapidly, clearly tired and worried.

"She's not with us. We think she's still with Bob, somewhere out there." Rick responded, putting a firm hand on Glenn's shoulder.

"Oh god…No! No! You've got to be kidding me! I have to go back for her…"

"No, you are in no state to go risk your life right now. You need to rest." Rick suggested, noticing Beth and Sasha finally coming out of the house.

Sasha ran up to Tyreese and he hugged her tight, a look of relief on his traits. Beth stayed on the porch, her eyes clearly red, looking like an emotional mess. Rick noticed there were no more people coming out to greet them and he began to worry.

"Hershel? Where is he?" Rick asked, looking around.

At those words, Beth ran back into the house, slamming the door behind her.

Glenn looked on the edge of cracking himself. He was clearly not in the shape to deal with all this stuff right now.

"He…he didn't make it." Glenn paused and took a deep breath, trying to stop himself from shaking. "We had some issues on the road…A man had died from the flu while we were travelling. We didn't notice it right away as everyone slept a little during the trip. After a while, the man turned and started attacking the others. Everybody panicked and we stopped the bus to manage the attack. Hershel…he tried to save the last few of them but he just ended up a victim himself. The man had bit his neck right before Hershel managed to kill him. It was pure chaos in there. Sasha tried to evacuate the remaining survivors but they were all falling apart. They were about to die and we couldn't risk having them on the bus with us." Glenn closed his eyes and tried to hold the tears from falling down. "Hershel died from the fever after a few minutes. I insisted we buried him. He was my step dad and he deserved it after all he's done for us. The others all died too but we didn't have the energy to bury them all. It was very overwhelming. And now…Maggie…gosh, I hope she's okay."

Rick patted Glenn's back and sighed deeply. It had been a very rough day for everybody. He didn't know how they managed to survive this war with the Governor but they did it. Suddenly, a painful realisation crossed his mind. Judith.

"Judith? Where's my baby?" Rick backed away, running a hand through his hair.

Carl had tears in his eyes and immediately feared for the worst. Glenn looked up to Rick and didn't really know what to say. Sasha finally spoke up.

"She wasn't with us. I checked."

"How come she wasn't on the bus? She was supposed to be there with everybody!"

"We don't know, Rick. Last time I saw her, she was in her car seat with Lizzie and Mika. They weren't with us either."

"And what am I supposed to think now? No! This can't be true…" Rick said, finally breaking apart.

"Maybe Carol took care of Judith and the kids. Who knows? I didn't see her but she was probably gathering some stuff around the prison. You know she wouldn't leave the children by themselves…" Sasha continued.

Rick looked up to Sasha and realized he hadn't told them about Carol's exile. He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to calm down a little bit.

"Okay, everyone…let's go in the house. I need to talk to all of you."

* * *

Daryl returned to the camp and was reassured to see all three of them safe. He did keep an eye on them from a certain distance but he feared he might not react just in time if anything happened to the little girls. He managed to hunt a few squirrels while he was gone. It wasn't much but under the circumstances, it was the best he could do. He started cooking them as the night was finally settling in. Mika got closer to the fire with Judith and she began feeding her with the baby food she found in her backpack. They were all sitting there in silence, not really knowing what to say. Lizzie finally broke the silence as Daryl made sure the squirrels were done cooking.

"Here. Your gun." she said, putting the gun on the ground.

"Nah, keep it. I have another one in my backpack. "

"Are…are you sure?"

"Yeah, it's yours now. I think…Carol would want this." he whispered, reconsidering what Carol really wanted for those kids.

"I miss her."

Daryl sighed and pulled out the squirrels from the fire. He gave each kid one squirrel pierced with a stick.

"You'll both see her again. She's still alive."

"How do you know?" Mika asked, looking up to Daryl.

"I saw her during the battle with the Governor. She was there helping us. She killed the asshole and most of his men."

"Really? How is she not with us right now?" Lizzie asked, confused.

"Got stuck on top of a car, surrounded by them dead motherfuckers. Told me she would find us again."

"Do you believe that?"

"I really want to. Not much left from her except this." he pulled out the broken watch from his right pocket.

"Oh, it's her watch. I remember seeing it before." Lizzie recognized, finally biting in the squirrel, not caring for the taste.

"Yeah…I wanted to keep it."

"How did you get it? She gave it to you?" Mika asked.

"Nah, Rick did. She gave it to him in the first place. Wanted him to remember where she came from."

"You said she did something bad. What was it?"

Daryl looked at the watch in his hand and softly stroked the surface with his thumb.

"She killed Karen and David. It was to keep y'all safe. She told me she was worried 'bout you two. She isn't a bad person. She just…wanted to do good. Don't ever doubt it. She's the best person I know."

The two girls processed the news in silence, staring at the fire before them. They both looked confused, as they didn't really know what to think about the situation.

"Rick banished her from the group but she'll come back. I'll deal with this once we arrive at the meeting place. And if she isn't headin' to the meetin' place, I'll go find her by myself and bring her back." Daryl concluded, trying to reassure them.

They finished the rest of the meal in silence and Daryl pulled out the poncho from his backpack. He put it on the ground and commanded the two little girls to share it for the night. He then looked at lil'asskicker in her car seat and made sure she was well-covered too. He tried to maintain the fire high enough to keep them warm but he also didn't want to draw too much attention from a certain distance.

"You won't go to sleep?" Lizzie asked, snuggling in the poncho with her sister.

"Nah, I'll keep watch. Safer this way."

"Once we find her, we'll still become a family, right?"

"I'll do my best to make it happen. Now, go to sleep. Big day tomorrow."

Lizzie nodded and closed her eyes, trying to forget that she was sleeping on the hard ground. Daryl sighed and stared at the fire, still holding the broken watch in his hand. He was so tired and his muscles ached from all the efforts he did during the day. The only thing keeping him awake was Carol's voice repeating the same sentence over and over again. _We'll find each other again, Daryl. We always do. _


	6. Where the loyalty lies

**_Where the loyalty lies_**

Carol stood there, still on top of that car, shooting the few walkers trying to reach for her. Daryl had been out of her sight for a few minutes now. Her ammo was running low in her last gun and she knew it was only a matter of time before she would have to escape too. The prison yard was condemned and nothing could be done about it. She couldn't even try to retrieve a few things back in her cell if she wanted to. She hoped Daryl had found a way to make it safe and sound. She also hoped that Lizzie and Mika were in security with the others. At this point, it was all that really mattered to her.

She didn't even know if the others would miss her after this whole story. Rick probably gave them a little speech about how cold she has gotten and how she couldn't be trusted anymore. He must have convinced them that she was a threat to all of them and that she was better on her own. With her luck, he probably didn't even notice that she was there to help them take the Governor down. She grimaced at that thought.

As she managed to put down most walkers around her, she realized that she could actually have a chance to escape if she ran away now. The path to the woods was pretty much cleared out; she just had to make a run for it. It was her only chance to survive and she was aware that she couldn't mess it up. Not wasting any time, she tried to slide very carefully from the top of the car without drawing too much attention. As she jumped to the ground, she accidently twisted her ankle.

"No! Shit! Shit!" she complained, as she tried to get up but resigned at the pain.

Her fall managed to attract two walkers in her direction. The pain running through her ankle was almost unbearable. She feared it was broken since she couldn't even get up to run away. _Is that it? I'm gonna die like this? Alone and torn apart by a bunch of walkers? I survived all this time only to finish…like this? I can't believe it. No…there's got to be a way to survive…I'm not done with this life yet. I have still so much to do. I have…to find my family. _

Carol tried to ignore the pain and took the rifle in her hands. She aimed for the first walker and shot. He fell down immediately. She then aimed for the second one but realized there was no ammo left as she hit the trigger. She would have to use her knife on this one. Since she couldn't get up, she waited for him to get closer. She knew it was a risk to take since she was so vulnerable at the moment but she had no other choice. Getting up would have to wait. The walker finally leaned down and grabbed Carol's arm.

In a risky attempt, she reached for his neck and squeezed it tight to keep him in place. A wrong move and it would be game over. The walker tried to free himself from her grip but Carol didn't allow him that courtesy. With her free hand, she slowly grabbed her knife and waited for the right momentum to kill him. As the walker looked more aggressive and eager to bite her arm, she drove the knife through his skull.

"I decided I am not dying today. No luck, huh?" she responded, taking out the knife from his head and letting the corpse drop on the ground.

She took a look at her ankle and noticed it was a bit swollen. After analyzing it with her basic medical knowledge, she got to the conclusion that it wasn't broken. She would probably just have difficulty to walk for a few days before it heals right. Still, she needed to head back to her car. Without any supplies, she would die from starvation or dehydration in the next few hours. She needed to get up and move on. It wasn't the right place nor the right time to lie down.

Taking a deep breath, Carol tried to stand up by herself, putting a firm hand on the side of the car for support. Once she was standing on her good foot, she slowly attempted to put the other one on the ground. The pain immediately radiated through her whole body and she realized it was not going to work out. She took her rifle and put it on her side for support. It wasn't going to do much but it would at least take off the pressure from her ankle. She then began to hop on one foot, heading to the woods.

* * *

The whole cottage went silent for a while, everyone processing what Rick had just told them. They all looked devastated, confused and speechless. Michonne didn't react much as she already knew the news by Daryl. All the others who knew what Carol did before Rick's speech were either not here or dead. Glenn suddenly stood up from his chair and broke the silence.

"I can't believe this. You banished her? Really, Rick? After all she's done for us?"

"She couldn't be there. She was a threat to the group."

Tyreese couldn't bring himself to participate to the conversation. He looked so stunned. Sasha stroked his back, trying to bring him a bit of comfort.

"She was there from the start, Rick. She was there even before I saved your ass that day in Atlanta. She took care of everyone around the camp, even with Ed constantly watching on her back. She looked over Sophia and Carl when Lori was trying to figure things out with Shane. She also took care of Judith with Beth and she was always there for all of us. Saying she's a threat to this group is completely ridiculous."

"I didn't want her to leave but she pushed me to make this decision. She wasn't feeling sorry at all for what she had done. "

"The problem is that you made this call by yourself. We established a council back at the prison because you couldn't take the lead anymore. You can't just come back on your decision without telling us and decide Carol's future on your own. It doesn't work like that and you know it, Rick. "

"Listen, I did what I thought was best for this group. I wanted to protect everyone. I wanted to protect my own children! We don't know what she is able to do now. "

"All I'm saying is that if Carol dies tonight, the blood will be on your hands. Leaving her out there is a death sentence."

Rick stopped talking and looked at Tyreese who was still deeply shocked by the news. Sasha didn't have much to say either. Michonne was standing against a wall, analyzing the whole situation without participating to the conversation. Beth was seated at the table with her eyes still wet from crying. Carl was taking watch by a window, just in case Daryl, Maggie or Bob would be showing up during the evening.

"She…she'll be fine." Rick proposed.

"Yeah, keep telling you that." Glenn paused, trying to regain a bit of energy. "And Daryl? Have you told him?"

"I did. He didn't take it very well, obviously. He wanted to go and look for her but the Governor had arrived and everything went down so fast. Now, I don't know where he is but he is probably heading to our meeting place."

"Great. Just great. As if we really needed that right now. Man, I don't know if he'll stay in the group knowing Carol is out there somewhere on her own. They were pretty close. I mean…I don't know what they were exactly but it's pretty obvious they had feelings for each other."

Tyreese suddenly stood up and threw his fist on the table.

"And what about my feelings, huh? No one gives a damn about that, right? I lost Karen, goddamnit! She isn't coming back! She is gone! "

"Listen Tyreese…" Rick began.

"No! You listen to me! You're gonna find Carol so we can settle this once and for all. I need to know her version of the story. I need to know this goddamn act was justified. It will help me get some closure. Carol was a good woman. I saw the way she cared about others. Maybe…maybe she did a mercy kill to spare Karen from suffering. I need to know those kinds of details before doing anything about it."

"I can't. She could be anywhere right now. Tracking her is impossible for us to do."

"I think you don't understand. If you don't find Carol, I'll go find her myself, you hear me? "

Tyreese was starting to lose his temper, ready to explode at any moment. He really needed to know the truth about this once and for all. After losing Karen in the most horrific circumstances, he felt like he needed some explanations. He still had a hard time to process that Carol was the killer but at this point, all he really wanted was some answers. Dealing with morality would have to wait another day.

"Well, go ahead. Like I said, she could be miles away from here as we speak. I won't lose my time looking for her and you shouldn't either. We have other things to discuss. We have to plan ahead. This place is great for now but it's not the most viable option. There's a sanctuary out there. You've heard about it on the radio. It's a chance to take. We have to go over there and see if there's anything for us. "

Tyreese didn't know how to respond, clearly on the verge of losing his hope for some answers. Michonne could see the pain in his traits. Somehow, she felt bad for him. He was a good guy and he deserved to get closure about his recent loss. Rick wasn't really helpful in his mourning process at all.

"Tyreese, can I talk to you for a second? It won't take too long." Michonne proposed.

Everyone looked up to her with curiosity, wondering what she was doing. She wasn't usually the kind of woman to go out of her way to deal with someone else's business. But this time, she felt like it was very much needed for the whole group. Tyreese followed her in the backyard and closed the door behind him. She leaned against the wall and crossed her arms on her chest. She tried as much as possible to not put too much weight on her wounded calf.

"Look, I know you're going through some hard stuff but Rick won't help you on that one."

"Is he the leader or not in this goddamn place? We had a council back at the prison. People made decisions every day. Sasha was a member. Doesn't it count for anything now?"

"Rick needed a break and he allowed a council to run the place without him. But now…I think he is ready to take his role back. The prison is gone and we have to move on. The sanctuary might be what we need right now."

"We don't even know where this place is. You've heard it like me. It could be anywhere."

"I may have found something interesting while looking at a map back at the prison. It's not much but it's worth exploring while we're here."

"And Carol? I need to talk to her. If we leave for the sanctuary, there's no chance for me to settle this."

"That's what I wanted to talk you about. I think she's not that far at all. She adopted Lizzie and Mika just a few days ago. I know she cares a lot about them and I'm sure she wouldn't leave them behind. Besides, I believe she was there to help us during the attack."

"What? Are you serious? That's crazy."

"Not that much. We barely killed anyone and I was injured during most of the battle. I really doubt the others did all the work by themselves. You saw it too. You knew someone was helping us from their side. I believe it was her. It can't be anyone else. I'm sure she came back for the kids."

"So, what does that mean? Is she heading here?"

"Don't know. Maybe Daryl is looking for her right now. I can't really tell. All I'm saying is that wherever those kids are, she will be there too."

"Well, if there's even a small chance for her to make it here, I'm ready to wait. I know Rick plans to move on as soon as possible but I want to wait until she comes back. Honestly, I don't know if I can ever forgive Carol for what she did but she definitely owes me some answers. I want to know her motives. It's driving me crazy."

"Rick won't leave without Daryl. And knowing Daryl, I'm pretty sure he won't leave without Carol. So, even if Daryl gets here, we won't go anywhere. He'll want to go back for her."

"And Rick? What will he do about it?"

"Daryl told me that Rick was decided to banish her for good. But that was back at the prison. Now, we're all fighting to survive out there and I don't think the same rules apply anymore. He might reconsider a few things."

"I guess we'll just have to wait and see. Thank you for helping me, by the way. I appreciate it."

* * *

Carol managed to get back to her car in one piece. It had been difficult and she had to stop a few times to relax her foot but she did it. Without wasting any more time, she opened the car trunk and looked for food supplies. She took a long sip from a water bottle and ate a few crackers to calm her stomach. Her guns were now useless. No ammo left anywhere. Morgan did provide her a lot of ammunition boxes but she went through them during the attack. It also didn't help that she had so many walkers trying to grab her from below. She wasted a lot of bullets just trying to manage the herd around her. She sighed deeply.

At least, she had enough gas to get out of this place, thanks to Morgan. Now that the prison was deserted, she had to think about the only logical place the group could be after being scattered. She then remembered the cottage being brought up during one of the council's meetings. There was a meeting place. They had voted on it once Michonne assured them it was secure enough to be used as a temporary home. It was obvious they would all be there by now.

They made sure everybody knew how to get there by themselves, just in case something went wrong. She knew the way by heart. She also had enough gas to make her way up there. She could go if she wanted to. The only problem is that she didn't know who survived the attack. Was the council still intact? Would anyone side with her if she took the chance to reappear into their lives? She really didn't know what to do anymore. She didn't even know if Daryl was aware of what she had done. She felt like it could easily turn ugly if no one was ready to support her decision.

If they voted against her, where would she go next? She couldn't even bring herself to think about it. There was still Morgan out there in this little town but she doubted it was the best option for her. She needed those little girls into her life to have a second chance at motherhood. She also needed Daryl, the only man who ever truly understood her. She loved him. She wanted a future with him. Something they could build together, after having gone through so much pain and difficult times. If she couldn't have a little chance to reach happiness for once in her damn life, why even bother in the first place? She realized that the meeting place was her only chance to resume this situation once and for all. She had to go there before the group would decide to move on.

* * *

The night was settling in as Michonne was still discussing the next steps with Rick at the kitchen table. Fortunately, they had found some food cans in the kitchen earlier so they could at least eat once during the evening. Rick looked in a bad shape and Michonne noticed he really needed to sleep but he insisted on planning ahead before going anywhere. The others were all resting already, except Tyreese who accepted to take watch in the living room for the night. He was still confident Carol would appear sooner than later. Rick was massaging his forehead nervously, wondering how everything would work out in the next few days. They were short on everything, he didn't know where Judith was, Daryl wasn't back yet, and Tyreese was a ticking bomb ready to explode at any moment.

"Judith…I don't know where she is. I hope Maggie and Bob found her. Maybe even Daryl. I just need to know she is still alive somewhere." Rick whispered.

Michonne nodded, finding no words to bring him comfort. She knew too well how it felt to lose a child and she was certainly not ready to talk about it anytime soon. She preferred to concentrate on their task. It was easier to do and it didn't involve any emotions.

"The train tracks…" Michonne began, finally figuring something out while picturing the map in her head.

"What about them?" Rick answered, narrowing his eyebrows in an expression of confusion.

"I think it's the only way to find the sanctuary. I remember the train tracks were leading to some place that could very well be the one sending those radio signals. Outside from this, I don't see anything corresponding. It's the only place not too far from here where the signals could have gotten to our car during the run."

"And where can we find them?"

"Back at the prison. The train tracks passed through the woods next to it. If I remember correctly, we would have to follow those tracks for a few miles, heading east."

"It's a big risk to take. We don't have many supplies with us right now. Barely enough gas to go for a run tomorrow. Are you sure it's the right thing to do?"

"I studied the map so many times before. It's printed in my head at this point. I say it's really our best chance to stumble on the sanctuary. If we don't take this chance, we might as well stay here and hold up for as long as we can."

"Nah, we can't do this. It can only last so long. Those things will find a way to get at us one day or another. We need a better shelter. Some place to live without having to fear for our lives every day. It must exist somewhere."

"Let's wait until Daryl comes here. We'll discuss this with him. "

"Yeah…I don't know if he'll want to help us that much. Not after what I did."

"Daryl cares about this group but you'll have to understand that he might want to look for Carol who is still out there."

"I know…I know…It's just that I'm not sure how Carol can be there with all that is going on right now. I don't even trust her enough to let her stay with us."

"Tyreese is ready to talk to her about it. She needs a chance to explain herself."

"Even after that, how can we be sure she isn't gonna do this again?"

"I think we can trust her."

"Why?" Rick asked, genuinely wondering how she could support this idea.

"Because she killed the Governor. She saved us."

Rick stared at her, not able to speak for a while. Michonne finally got up from her seat and muttered: "I think that's enough for tonight. We'll talk about the rest tomorrow." Rick nodded and stayed at the kitchen table for the next thirty minutes, pondering what had just been said. The next few days were gonna be intense for all of them, no doubt.


	7. The mission

**_The mission_**

The second day, late in the afternoon, Daryl and the girls finally approached the cottage, exhausted but grateful to have survived long enough to make it there. Fortunately, Judith had been a good baby and she didn't cause too much complications. The little girls did help as much as they could all day and Daryl really couldn't complain about it. He was actually impressed by their strength and how easily they handled the situation. He believed Carol would have been proud to see this, especially since she taught them to toughen up in this world. Daryl had not slept for almost two days now. He was beginning to lose a lot of his tracking faculties and he had to stop every now and then to take a small break. Lizzie could see in his face that the man needed to rest more than ever before.

Daryl had told her he was alright, that it wasn't the first time he had to skip a night of sleep. He didn't want to admit that he could collapse right there if he wasn't so stubborn to make it to the cottage before the night settles in. He was eager to see if Carol made it to the meeting place. She had to. It was the only way to meet her again. If she wasn't there, how could he even find her? He was terrified at the idea that she didn't survive the herd back at the prison or that she preferred starting a new life on her own. He really didn't want any of those options to become true. Those little girls needed her. They needed a mother figure more than ever.

He would protect them as much as he could but he knew that deep inside, Carol was the one who could raise them properly. He needed her, too. He needed her warmth, her smile, her silly jokes and her wisdom. Without her, what would he become? She was her guide, her closest friend, her…everything. Life without her didn't really look interesting at all. After tasting life by her side, he couldn't afford anything else really. It was the first time that he ever felt valued, important and worthy of love. She made her feel like a real man with honor, a man who could deserve some happiness and start over again.

Once closer to the cottage, Daryl's heart began racing really fast. This was the moment he had been anticipating ever since her last vision of Carol on top of that car. The bus and Rick's car were parked in front of the house but there was no sign of any other vehicle in the surroundings. To his knowledge, Carol had a car when she got exiled. This didn't bode well right from the start. As he made his way towards the front door, he could hear loud voices come from the house and people moving fast. He guessed the group had seen him from the windows. To confirm his first thought, Sasha opened the door wildly and gave him a big smile.

"Daryl is back! He has Lizzie, Mika and Judith with him!" Sasha shouted behind her.

One second later, Rick and Carl came out of the house in tears, giving Daryl a hug and looking for little Judith in her car seat.

"She…she was with you all this time!" Rick began, wiping his tears as he took the baby in his arms.

"The little girls kept an eye on her. I found them when I tried to look for Maggie and Bob. It was a close call for all of us." Daryl mumbled with a deep raspy voice.

Rick nodded, giving him a good pat on the shoulder. Carl was stroking Judith's hand and looked so relieved to have his sister back.

"Glad you made it to the meeting place. Go get some rest, you look really tired. We'll discuss important matters later on." Rick continued.

Daryl wanted to ask about Carol right away but he felt like he couldn't take it anymore. The day had been rough and he was about to blackout if he didn't go to sleep in the next few minutes. He entered the house and everyone greeted him with joy. Michonne nodded to him with a small smile on her face. Daryl was glad to see them all but he still felt like he couldn't truly be happy until Carol's face would be a few inches from his. He went upstairs and entered a random bedroom, not caring who it belonged to. He took off his leather jacket, his dirty boots and his pants. He installed his crossbow on a chair and he went for the bed without any second thought.

* * *

Daryl woke up early the next morning; he had slept for more than half a day for sure. All his muscles were aching in his body as he remembered he had walked continuously for the past two days. His mouth was dry and he was so hungry he could eat a horse. At least, the pain from the exhaustion was gone. He hadn't slept that much for as long as he could remember. His dreams had been confusing and he only remembered fragments from it. He knew Carol was involved somehow but he couldn't tell what role she was playing at all. He stood up and looked in the drawers for some clean clothes. He found a gray shirt that he immediately put on. After getting fully dressed, he went downstairs and found Michonne handing him a water bottle and a bag of mixed nuts in the kitchen. He thanked her silently and sat down on a chair.

"Where are the others?" Daryl asked, drinking half the bottle in one sip.

"Rick, Tyreese, Glenn and Sasha went on a run just an hour ago. I couldn't go because I'm still injured and they needed someone to look over the place. The kids are all asleep."

Daryl nodded and started to eat the mixed nuts out of the bag. Michonne could tell Daryl was disappointed with what she had just told him.

"You thought Carol was there, don't you?" Michonne asked, out of curiosity.

"Well, I thought…" he started before trailing off, putting a hand through his hair. "She told me we were gonna find each other again and…"

Michonne's eyes went wide for a quick second as she realized Daryl had seen Carol on the battlefield. She had been right all this time about Carol fighting with them.

"I figured out Carol helped us during the attack. I just didn't know you had the chance to talk to her."

"She was cornered from everywhere, shootin' walkers from the top of a car. The herd was comin' for me and I just had time to hear her tell me to run away and to not worry about us findin' each other again. That's all. I couldn't even tell her anythin'." Daryl explained; a bit bitter that he didn't take this chance to actually tell her something important.

"So…you didn't look for her out there? I thought you might just give it a shot since you were alone."

"I thought 'bout it but I had those little girls to watch over. It's a damn luck we made it up here without a scratch. I don't even know if Carol is alive right now. I'm just…Fuck, how am I supposed to live with this?"

"She might still make it. Maggie and Bob are still missing, too. We won't move on until everyone is back, you know it."

"And Hershel? Where is he?"

"He is dead. Some things went wrong on the bus during the travel. He died along the other survivors from Woodbury."

"Shit." Daryl muttered through his teeth, putting a hand on his forehead and closing his eyes.

This was a terrible nightmare and he wished he was still sleeping. He had a quick flashback of his last moment with Hershel. He remembered the look on his face as he told him to ask Rick about Carol. He was genuinely caring about her, about all of them. It was a real shame. And now…Carol might just be gone, too.

"I told Rick I knew where the sanctuary was. We're heading there once we gather up everybody. We'll stay here for a few days but we'll have to move on eventually. Tyreese is ready to wait a little longer for Carol to make it here. He wants to discuss this whole issue with her."

"He…he isn't mad at her?" Daryl asked, perplexed.

"Hard to tell. He is just deeply shocked, I guess. He wants some answers from her. He believes she could have done a mercy kill."

"Ya…that's what I've been thinkin' too. Carol isn't a killer. If she did this, it was for a damn good reason."

"I did my best to manage the situation when you were gone, but it's all in your hands now. Whether she comes back or not, you'll have to step up and make a decision about where this whole issue is heading."

Daryl sighed and played with the water bottle in his hands. He knew that it was just a matter of time before something was bound to happen. He hoped Carol was about to arrive because if she wasn't, he might just go out there by himself.

* * *

_Two days earlier_

Carol went into her car and finally made the decision to go to the cottage. There was no other option for her at the moment. She would find a way to convince them. She would talk to Rick, talk to Tyreese, settle this once and for all, and reunite with the group as smoothly as possible. With a sudden boost of confidence, she started the engine and took off on the road. The afternoon had just begun and the sun was shining at its peak. She guessed she would probably arrive in an hour or so.

As she drove, she kept biting her lower lip, anticipating the worst despite her willingness to carry on. _Calm down. You'll get out of this mess. You know it. Remember, they are all family. We forgive family. We go through thick and thin, all together. _After twenty minutes of driving, something caught her eye near the woods. Corpses not transformed. Intrigued, she pulled over and got out of her car with a little hesitation. Something was strange with this scene. She got closer, trying not to put too much pressure on her ankle, and immediately recognized most faces.

"Janette? Luke? Oh my god, what is this?" she exclaimed herself, a hand going over her mouth instantly.

She wanted to throw up. The scene was so morbid. All the sick and defenseless people from Woodbury, scattered right there in front of her, a hole in the head. She didn't understand. Where were they all coming from? Who did this? Tears suddenly flowed from her eyes, making her whole vision blurred. It was kind of ironic to assist this scene as she killed two sick people from Woodbury just a few hours ago. She felt like life was playing a bad joke on her.

She looked around and counted a dozen bodies in the same state. There was also a tomb that had been freshly dug into the ground. Someone was buried there. Why bury only one person and not the others? That person must have been more significant in some way to the one who managed this whole situation. She stepped closer to the grave and noticed a shiny object partly covered in dirt. Intrigued, she slowly wiped the dirt off from the object and gasped at her sudden find. It was Hershel's watch, the same one he had given to Glenn once he trusted him enough to become his stepson. Carol grabbed it delicately and started mourning in silence. _Hershel died and Glenn had to bury him in the middle of the road. This is sick. _Carol wandered there for a long moment, not really knowing how to move on. She felt like she needed to pay her respects to him one last time.

"You were such a great man. I saw you as a mentor after Sophia's death. Back at the farm, you told me Sophia was in a better place, up in Heaven with the Lord by her side. I still want to believe it but it's getting hard. I hope she is out there somewhere, watching over me and being proud of what I have become. I…just don't know if I still have faith in the Lord myself. I have spent so many years praying for a better life but the Lord never answered my prayers. This Apocalypse freed me from the abuse, made me stronger. And I'm sure the Lord, if he exists, has nothing to do with this chaos. Life did this. Life got me rid of Ed. I believe in life. I believe in people. I believe in me. That's all I really need and I'm a new woman, now. I have made a few mistakes and I'm sure you wouldn't approve what I did back at the prison but I wanted to make a difference. I tried to do good for all of us. At this point, that's all I'm trying to do for us to survive just a little longer. I want to help. And if you are up there, listening to me, I hope you understand my intentions and still believe in me. Rest in peace, Hershel."

Carol stepped back carefully, wiped the tears from her face and remembered she still had Hershel's watch in her hands. She looked at it for a few seconds, a little hesitation crossing her face, before putting it in her jacket.

"I'll give it back to Glenn, don't worry. I know you would prefer it this way." Carol whispered, giving a half-smile to the tomb.

She headed back to her car, grimacing at the pain coming from her ankle, and sat down in the driver seat. Instead of starting the engine, she stared at the corpses from the passenger window and put a shaky hand on her forehead in disbelief. She hoped the others were okay. After recollecting her mind, she finally drove off and looked at her rear view one last time. She gasped as she noticed one person coming out from the woods and waving his arms in the air to seek her attention. She stopped the car immediately.

* * *

"So, who are you again?" Carol asked with her body against the car.

"Sgt. Abraham Ford. I have a little camp a few miles from here. We're three people in our group." the giant muscular man answered.

Carol nodded and analyzed the man from head to toes. He was a red-head with a military haircut, dark eyes and a thick mustache. He looked quite charismatic despite his strong looks and she could tell there was more about him that met the eyes.

"I'm Carol Peletier. Why did you waved at me like this? Do you need help?"

"Actually, I do. I've seen you paying your respects to your friend, here. I was trying to hunt in the woods when I heard you talking out loud. I didn't want to scare you so I kept my distance, ya know? But I came to believe you were probably part of a bigger group and we want to join, if it's possible. We're out on everything and we have a mission to accomplish."

Carol frowned at the word 'mission' and Abraham understood he wasn't really clear about his intentions.

"Yeah, uh…We're heading to Washington, D.C. My friend Eugene could explain this whole thing better than I ever could. If you let us join your group, we could take off over there all together."

"How can I trust you? What if you are not just a thief waiting to steal my car and my supplies? I don't even know you."

Abraham laughed and shook his head from left to right.

"Oh, come on lady! If I really wanted to do that, I'd already done it by now. I don't want to hurt anybody except those damn idiot motherfuckers out there. Like I said, we want to join your group. We aren't enough to pull off this plan by ourselves. We need every little help we can get."

"Even if I wanted to help you, what tells you they are gonna accept? After all, nothing tells us it's gonna work out."

"It's a very good plan, trust me. It will provide us a shelter, food, medicine and everything we need to start over. "

"Yeah…I don't know about this." Carol responded, scratching the back of her neck.

"Come meet my friends back at the camp. Eugene will explain everything to you. He is a scientist. He has good informations about the disease and the place we're heading. Please, we need this chance. We've been alone for a long while now."

"I can't leave my car out there. It's too risky."

"No one's gonna steal it. It's the end of the world, remember?" Abraham responded, giving her a little nudge with his elbow.

"Well, exactly. It's the end of the world. If anyone comes across my car, they'll take it. And I need it to travel. I have a place to go."

"Look, we're in the middle of the road. I highly doubt it's gonna happen. Bring what you need and come with me. You won't regret this. Besides, your car is fucking old. Anything is better than this crap."

"Do you even have a car yourself?" Carol asked, challenging him.

"Well, no. But we could find one easily. What we really need is gas."

Carol nodded and opened the car trunk in front of him. Abraham smiled at the sight of a full gas can.

"Great! You definitely bring this with you. Alright, let's go."

Carol grimaced and quickly looked down at her ankle. Abraham noticed something wasn't right.

"Something's wrong?" Abraham asked, narrowing his eyebrows.

"My ankle. I twisted it this morning. It hurts like hell."

"Well, shit. Let me help you, okay? Wrap your arm around my neck and I'll do the rest. You won't even force a little bit."

Carol handed him the gas can and she then put her arm around his neck for support. With his free hand, Abraham grabbed her waist and tried to minimize her efforts. They then proceeded entering the woods together. Carol couldn't believe this. She was following this giant guy in the middle of the woods, heading to a camp with strangers. They wanted to join her group but they didn't even know she was banished from it in the first place. How was it going to turn out? Should they tell them the truth?

She felt like she was in an impasse because if Abraham knew about her current status, he wouldn't be so eager to introduce her to his group. He would probably throw her out at the second he would get the chance. After all, he wanted a bigger group, not a single woman wandering alone with a car and some supplies. He had a mission and he probably didn't have time to waste with her if she couldn't bring the results he expected from her. But at this point, she was ready to take this chance. Maybe this was her opportunity to gain everyone's trust back. She knew that her group was looking for a better place to go. She might just be the one to bring the answer to them. Convinced with her new plan, she continued the walk with Abraham in silence.


End file.
